About today’s guest: Maria LimaMaria Lima is a writing geek with one foot in the real world and the other in the make-believe. One lucky commenter will win copies of Maria’s first two books. Just leave a comment on this post to be entered. Winner will be announced at end of Full Moon promotion. Last day to enter Saturday, April 25th at midnight central U.S. time.

Despite their origins in horror and war, werewolves continue to hold a strong number two place in fictional supernatural beings (with our favorite bloodsuckers as number one). Okay, so zombies are on the rise (yes, yes, I know…) but if you scan most urban fantasy/paranormal romance novels, you’ll still find vampire and werewolves running neck and neck. (Egads, the puns!)

Seriously, though–why the wolf? What is so fascinating and fabulous about these furry predators that not only do we have centuries of legends about humans becoming them, so many fantasy novels either feature or include these lycanthropes?

It’s not like most U.S. writers have much personal knowledge of actual wolves outside of stories, TV or movies. They’re not easy to find in the lower 48; the grey wolf has been hunted nearly to extinction. The red wolf, once extinct, now have a small officially endangered population in the Southeast.*

Perhaps it’s because a full grown wolf is a sexy beast, reminiscent of man’s best friend, yet with a wildness and danger adding a hint of spice–although, in reality, a predator and maybe not so sexy. Could be that our collective unconscious is reminded of the many legends of the hypermasculine warriors, leading long-ago tribes into battle and translating that into a need for an alpha male (or in some cases, female). Or maybe, just maybe, there’s that part of us that knew that there was more to the story of Little Red Riding Hood than was on the surface–we internalized its sexuality, its underlying themes and wanted more.

Whatever the reason, wolves and their fantasy counterparts (whether wer, shapeshifter or skinwalker) definitely add a bit of je ne sais quoi to our reading. We love them. We love to hate them if they’re the bad guy or gal. We love to read about them, tell stories, make them part of our fantasy world.

Personally, I love the fascinating family structure in the wolf world.
The pack, with its extremely defined and complex make up thrills the social/cultural anthropologist in me. I adore watching people and thew way they interact and the way a wolf pack works is so very easy to translate into fiction; mimicking its strict hierarchies and morphing those into human/wer behavior totally flips my tortilla.

This is where it gets really fun: making my own world, adapting legend, myth, as well as historical, cultural and physiological facts into my version of what reality is. For those of us that write, isn’t that part of what makes it so damned sexy? Making up a fantasy world, especially one set in contemporary times, like my Blood Lines series, gives me the ability to build in my own rules and behaviors, making it work for me and and getting to create challenges for my characters.

For example, in my world, shapeshifters and werewolves are completely different–ahem–animals (pun totally intended). Shapeshifting is a magickal ability, inherited by certain members of the supernatural clan my protagonist belongs to. If you’re a shapeshifter, you can choose which animal to emulate, and, once changed–a process that is neither painful nor physically draining–you retain your humanlike qualities, including the ability to reason.

Wers, on the other hand, become the animal (their human sides are there, but suppressed) and are limited to one particular species (wolf, deer, etc.). I’ve even considered how to deal with skinwalkers, which, in their own way, work better for me as yet a third “animal”–something created by magickal means, via a spell, a potion, runes, something not inherent in someone’s nature.

So far, in the first three books, I’ve only dealt with shapeshifters, but in book 4, as yet untitled, I’ll be introducing a werewolf clan, with troubles and social rules all their own. Since I’ve just started to write it, who knows, maybe I can toss in a skinwalker or two…

I’m not sure if I’ll ever focus specifically on werewolves, but I can definitely promise that they’ll definitely have a fairly prominent place in this book.

If you’re looking for some reading choices (outside of the books of other guest authors here), here are some of my favorites:

Other recommended reading/watching in general:
A Companion to Wolves (Elizabeth Bear & Sarah Monette)
Brotherhood of the Wolf (an obscure but fascinating French film)
The Howling (cheese, but so tasty)

It’s funny because I wasn’t into weres for the longest time; only in the last few years have I gotten off the vampire bandwagon and joined the shapeshifting/skinwalking/were-loving crowd. Can’t wait to read books 3 & 4 in the series!

It’s always interesting to hear a writer musing on their creations and what prompts them to write. Urban fantasy has potential for many, many layers within the stories and the individually created mythologies. It’s interesting to hear how they got under your skin (so to speak). Thank you for sharing.

Werewolves have always fascinated me. I love discovering new ways authors use the myth and make it their own. The one that stands out for me as being completely different is Benighted by Kit Whitfield. Her world is one where werewolves are the norm and ‘barebacks’ are shunned yet required for the role they play in keeping society together during full moons.

I think werewolves have a lot of stories left to tell. Our fascination with them is far from over. I look forward to reading as many as I can.

MaryJanice Davidson’s Wyndham Werewolves are some of my favourites, along with those you listed. She managed to make us believe in a werewolf that can’t turn into a werewolf, can you imagine? :lol: I think another part of the attraction is that we’re told wolves mate for life, so we allow ourselves to believe that werewolves do, too. Thanks for the post!

It’s always fascinating to read the author’s thought processes re: worldbuilding. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing. I have to admit to being a vamp and werewolf fan myself! Ah, so many books, movies, etc. and so very little tiime!

I’ve always love all things that have to do with paranormal. I love werewolves, vamps, shapeshifters, and well you know the theme. I’ve always thought to be able to shapeshifter in to something else would be such a powerful thing. To shift in to something that flys or to something that could swim in the depths of the ocean. Or even to be a werewolf with the strength and the ability to run fast.

Hi Maria! What a great series this sounds!! I remember when I first started reading werewolves in romance and then urban fantasy, I didn’t want to miss any and keep finding new authors to read and its exciting! But I’ve never seen a movie with werewolves. Only Moonlight that was canceled :( and that was vamps. Going to check out the others you list too. Great to meet you

IM A OLD READER, AND LET ME TELL YOU ,TRYING TO FIND PARANORMALS 10-20-25YRS AGO, WAS VERY VERY HARD . SO IM HAPPY THERE IS GETTING TO BE MORE AND MORE PARANORMAL AUTHORS.
I HAVNT READ MARIA YHET, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND GLAD TO HAVE SO MANY BOOKS TO PICK FROM NOWADAYS , I LOVE THE CHOICES

I’ve read and enjoyed all the books, authors and movies you mentioned being the huge fan of paranormal reads that I am. Your a new author to me but after your post, I’m definitely adding you to my wishlist here and am anxious to read your books.
By the way, if your looking for other werewolf/shapeshifter books I’m like to recommend authors Lori Handeland, Christine Warren and Karen MacInerney.

Hi, Maria–
i am glad kate douglas steered me toward your online comments (and, of course, your books). i was taught never to assume, for obvious reasons, but i still assume that all who are interested in werewolves have heard about the up-coming remake of Lon Chaney’s “Wolf Man”movie. Any thoughts about who should and who will play the lead role? hoping for a chance 2 win your books, i am future novelist, ken mcmillan, 3045 hedgerow lane, homewood,IL 60430

Werewolves have long been my favorite supernatural creature. Mostly I blame The Howling, because it was the first horror movie I saw and it spawned both my love of horror (including cheesy horror) and my love of werewolves, but I think you’ve really hit on something with the sexuality and danger behind the Little Red Riding Hood story. I mean, I’m familiar with the readings of it, but I’d not thought about how that might later encourage a love of sexy werewolves.

Another good series with shapeshifters (though not always the main characters) are the Sons of Destiny series by Jean Johnson. So good! I’ll definately add your books to my list, Maria. Thanks for the post.

I have to agree that there is something about the legends and myths about werewolves that is just completely fascinating. The idea of three different types of animals populating a shifting/were world sounds great. I’m really looking forward to reading your books.